blunt



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W; s. BLUNT.

AUTOMATIC TORNADO BREAKER.

No. 290,966. Patented Dec. 25, 1883.

IN VEN TOR ITNESSES ATTORNEY -(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. S. BLUNT.

AUTOMATIC TORNADO BREAKER.

Nol 290,966. Patented Dec. 25, 1883.

MJLIUUQEL :JEIIJIIISEIUIIIEF JDDUDUUUCIF ICICJDDUUUIIDE IDUUUCHIIUDDE WM SRM INVENTOR BY Q) $4.. bnw I ATTORNEY and'the trigger of the cannon.

rte STATES ATENT much.

WILLIAM S. BLUNT, OF NEXV YORK, Y.

AUTOMATlC TORNADO-*BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 290,966, dafcd December 25, 1883.

Application filed November 9, 1883. (No model.)

I?) ail whom it pm concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM S. BLUNT, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented an Automatic Tornado-Breaker; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and correct description of the same,.ref-

ercnce being had to the accompanying draw- 1 ings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of my invention. Fig. 2'is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the means of communication between the wind-pressure gage Fig. 4 is a plan of a town or village surrounded by the automatic tornado-breaker and the exploding magazine or stationary mortar.

In the drawings like parts of the invention are indicated by similar letters of reference.

The nature of the present invention relates to improvements, as more fully hereinafter set forth, in the construction of an automatic tornado-breaker, the object of the invention bc-' ing the production of an automatic apparatus by which the rotary and ascending spiral character of a tornado or wind-storm may be broken, and destruction of property and loss of life of frequent occurrence from the sudden approach of tornadoes or wind-storms will be averted.

To enable those skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I will describe the same.

A shows a turn-table, capable of being easily revolved by means of a large weathcr-vane,

B, attached to it so that with each or any change of the wind the table A will readily be turned. Upon this table A, I propose to mount a cannon or heavy piece of ordnance, The gun or piece of ordnance 0 should be placed at an elevation of about forty-five degrees, so asto be capable of producing the greatest atmospheric shock at thecritical moment, and also to insure the safety from accident to the people in its neighborhood. It is intended that this cannon or piece of ordnance, revolving as it will with the turn-table A, shall always be directed toward the greatest force of the wind.

D shows a post or standard, affixed either to the turn-table A or cannon (1, upon the top of which is placed a wind-pressure gage, l),

combined with a weather-vane, u, upon the shaft 1) of which is firmly fastened .a hollow cylinder, 0. A piston, d, fits easily into this cylinder 0, and slides on the shaft b of the vane a. This piston is pressed toward one end of the cylinder 0 by means of an adj ustable spiri 1 spring, 0, within the cylinder 0. The shaft 1) of the vane a is firmly fastened to a; hollow sleeve, f, having a bearing in and upon a proper support at the top of the post or standard I). This sleeve f turns freely in a support, g, and thus forms a pivot upon which the vane a'turns. his a rod passing through the sleeve f, and extending a short distance above it. shows aslotted connection, upon one end of which is the roller j, moving on the shaft 1). This slotted connection '6 connects, by means of a link, It, the piston d and rod h. y

l is a circular disk, secured to the lower end of the rod h, and m is the trigger of the cannon, held up by means of Such being the construction, the operation may be thus set forth: It will be seen that the cannon or heavy piece of ordnance will be directed toward the greatest force of the wind, and that it is intended, when the wind exceeds a given ratesay, seventy-five miles an hour-the cannon or heavy piece of ordnance shall be discharged.v cannon may be accomplished as follows: The vane a is always pointed toward the wind, and the piston d will be pressed into the cylinder 0 against the spring 0, thus the link It is drawn nearer to the center of the support of the vane, and the rod h is raised. The circulardisk l is so secured to the rod h that the moment the pressure of the wind becomes dangerously great the disk is brought into contact with the tripping-lever n, releasing the trigger m, which is thrown upon the priming with sufiicient force by the spring 8 to produce a discharge of the cannon U.

In Fig. 4 is ,hown a plan of a town or village surrounded by any desired' number of the tornado-breakers. These are intended to be used with an isolated magazine or large sta* tionary mortar, and by surrounding the town or village with them or wind-gages connected with the magazine or with the rotating cana tripping-lever, 'n.

the lower end of This discharge of the non an explosion can be caused at the moment I Having now set forth my invention, I claim bination of the following elements: a revolv in g turn-table, A, operated by a weather-vane, B, a cannon or heavy piece of ordnance, C, and suitable mechanical devices connecting terfrom what direction the storm or tornado may approach.

While I have shown mechanical means for exploding the cannon or heavy piece of ord-' Dance at the proper time, I am aware that electhe cannon or heavy piece of ordnance C wlth tricity may be availed of, the completion of a Wind-pressure gage, E, by which said cant-hc electric circuit being effected by (as in the .11011 or heavy piece of ordnance is discharged, case of the mechanical device employed) the substantially as and for the purpose specified. 2o Wind-gage.- XVILLIAM S. BLUNT.

In presence of E. MACDOUGALL IIAWKES,

'WILLIAM V. H. HIcKs.

as new In an automatic tornado-breaker, the c0m- 

